Politics & Government
Report Finds Medicaid Improved Health And Employment In Michigan
The report comes as Congress prepares to roll out new Medicaid work requirements next year.
June 22, 2026
A new report from the University of Michigan showed the Healthy Michigan Plan improved health care access, health outcomes and financial stability for low-income adults enrolled in the state’s Medicaid expansion program.
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The report comes as Congress prepares to roll out new Medicaid work requirements next year.
The Healthy Michigan Plan currently provides coverage to more than 700,000 low-income adults statewide. The latest evaluation examined the plan’s impact between 2019 and 2024, focusing on low-income adults ages 19-64 enrolled in the program.
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Dr. John Ayanian, a primary care physician and director of the Institute for Health Care Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan, lead researcher for the report, said the findings showed the program’s broad impact.
“We interviewed thousands of those adults, as well as their primary care physicians,” Ayanian explained. “They reported improved physical health, improved mental health, and improved oral health after gaining coverage, improved access to primary care.”
Supporters of work requirements contend they encourage employment and help preserve Medicaid resources for those who need them most. Ayanian added that the research found many enrollees were already working and staying employed, which keeps them healthier and able to work.
The report found a significant reduction in uncompensated care at Michigan hospitals after Medicaid expansion took effect. Ayanian noted that enrollees’ debt was reduced after they gained coverage.
“Their medical debt was reduced, so they had improved financial status after they gained insurance coverage, probably because they had fewer unpaid medical bills,” he underscored.
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